By Richard Sullins | richard@rantnc.com
If you’ve always had a passion for teaching and hold at least a bachelor’s degree, the Lee County Schools District Office wants to talk to you – right away.
With just over a week remaining before classes on the traditional calendar start on August 14, the district still needs about 30 or so teachers in schools across the county to fill existing vacancies, with the first required workday for all teachers being Wednesday, August 7.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Chris Dossenbach told members of the Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce at a meeting Monday that while the number of teachers under contract today is a little better than it was at this same point last year, “student enrollment is already up – way, way up” from what it was in 2023-24.
Where is this increase coming from? Dossenbach said “there are a number of factors in play, but the greatest of these this year seems to be a recognition by a growing number of families that charter and private schools are not always the best options for every family.”
Dossenbach told the gathering that the district’s greatest need is for teachers in middle school classrooms, although he said there are still openings at both the elementary and high school levels.
The kind of enrollment growth Lee County is seeing means more faculty members will have to be hired to meet that challenge.
“If we’re going to have a problem,” he said, “then that’s the kind of problem that I prefer to have.”
A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in the same discipline, or a related one, is required to be able to teach in the county’s public schools.
“A person with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry could certainly teach classes in mathematics,” Dossenbach said.
But the superintendent also went on to say that even if the degree that a person holds may not seem to be entirely relevant and they still really want to teach, “come and see us,” he said, “or give us a call. We may be able to work something out.”
Dossenbach told the Chamber crowd in jest that, “I travel with blank contracts everywhere I go lately.”
If you’re interested, the Central Offices for the District are located at 106 Gordon Street in Sanford, or can be reached at (919) 774-6226.
Ths article is misleading. Sure you could teach math if you have a chemistry degree, but you are considered lateral entry and have to get your teaching certificate while you are teaching. Also, there are plenty of retired teachers who would consider going back if we could make full pay, but unfortunately if you work over 50% you lose your pension. That rule changed many years ago – I think the state didn’t like paying retired teachers their pension plus a salary, but in cases of severe teacher shortages, it is a viable option.